4 months later, December 20th

Emma had kicked Rose out of the apartment earlier in the day to get ready for a special evening with Albus. It was their two year anniversary, and Rose found herself huddled in the doorway of the Leaky Cauldron with Scorpius, looking out on the onslaught of Christmas shoppers. There were all kinds of people walking around Diagon Alley. From the elderly trying to make it through the cold to Hogwarts students home on break. Everyone and their mother seemed to be out, shuffling from store to store to store, getting last minute Christmas presents.

Rose looked at Scorpius out of the corner of her eye. He had on a big black overcoat and a maroon and gold scarf wrapped tightly around his neck. The hat he wore was slightly askew so Rose reached up to righten in.

Scorpius looked down at her and smiled slightly. She was wearing a large coat as well and boots that went up to her knees. She shivered slightly from the cold and he pulled her into his side in an attempt to warm her up.

"Well, we better get started," Rose said, bumping shoulders with Scorpius.

He nodded his head in agreement. The pair took off down the cobblestone street covered in white. Despite the fact that the sun was out, it was near freezing on the hidden boulevard in the middle of London.

"I need something for Emma," Rose said. "Let's go to Sugarplum's. She never says no to sweets."

1 hour later

Laden with bags of various shapes and sizes, Rose and Scorpius began to make their way back up the street. The sky had darkened significantly and the streets were less crowded as people headed home for supper with their families.

"I think I have everything I need," Scorpius said, examining the bags he had dangling from his arms. "What about you, Ro?"

When Rose didn't respond, Scorpius looked up to see that she had gone a deathly pale color. Her eyes were focused on something down the street.

Scorpius' eyes followed hers, only to land on a young couple walking on the other side of the alley, holding hands. The girl was tall and skinny. She had blond hair that was put up into a ponytail. She had a stern look on her pretty face and blue eyes he could see from 20 feet away. The man next to her was tall, but not as tall as Scorpius, he had brown hair that flopped in front of his face. It took him a moment to realize who it was as he had not seen this man in nearly three years. The second he did, he grabbed Roses hand in his own, instinctively. Alex Wood.

Alex Wood. Shit, Rose thought. Shit, shit, shit, shit, shit.

"Rose!" Alex said, an obviously fake smile blooming on his face. "How are you?"

He crossed the square, still holding the hand of the tall blond.

"I'm good." Rose said cooly. They had broken up almost a year ago, and this was the first time she was seeing him in person. "How are you?"

"Good! Good. I'm in town for the holidays."

"Oh that's nice," Rose said.

An awkward silence would have ensued if Alex's company had not extended her hand.

"Hi, I'm Molly," She said in a flat, Canadian accent. She held out her right hand to shake and that's when Rose noticed the big diamond that protruded from her ring finger.

Trying to keep her emotions inside. Rose shook her hand trying not to scream and cry at the same time like she felt like doing.

Scorpius shook her hand noticing the same thing that Rose did. His heart went out to her.

As their friendship had grown, Rose had opened up to Scorpius about her past relationship with Alex. And while it seemed like she was over him, he could not blame her for being hurt when she saw the man she had dated for nearly two years engaged to someone 11 months after they had broke up.

Without his realizing, Scorpius had dropped Rose's hand and put his behind her back, rubbing it slightly to let her know that he was still there.

"Scorpius Malfoy," he said, introducing himself to Molly.

Alex's eyes widened slightly as he noticed how close his ex-girlfriend was standing with someone she had once claimed to despise.

"Well, we really should be going," Scorpius said, wanting to avoid having to stand in front of the man who had broken Rose's heart.

He smiled tightly and pulled the still shocked Rose away from the engaged couple.

Once they were a safe ways away down the street, Rose muttered "I need a drink."

"I know the perfect place," was Scorpius' reply.

5 hours later

"I just cannot believe that he's engaged!" Rose slurred for the billionth time since arriving at Scorpius' apartment.

"I know, you've said that," Scorpius smiled at Rose from his perch on a love seat by the window. She was currently spread out on the coach, her hair fanned around her, a bottle of firewhisky within reach.

Scorpius' vision blurred as he looked at her from a few feet away.

"Is there something wrong with me?" Rose sat up, looking at Scorpius.

"There is absolutely nothing wrong with you."

"There must be something," She said, standing up and moving to the small chair with Scorpius. "I haven't had a boyfriend, or even a date since Alex broke up with me."

She turned her body towards Scorpius and took one of his hands in hers. His hands were so much bigger, she had to use both of hers to cover just one of his.

"You would tell me if there was something wrong with me, right?" She asked.

"Of course I would, but Rose," he said, tilting her head with his free hand so she could look at him. "There is nothing wrong with you."

"Scorpius, you're too nice to me," Rose kissed him on the cheek.

"You know I had the biggest crush on you at Hogwarts?" Scorpius suddenly confessed.

Rose's eyes widened before she laughed in self preservation and said, "No you didn't, you hated me."

Scorpius rolled his eyes, "That was just because I didn't know how else to act around you. Rose, I'm serious, I was practically in love with you."

"Your'e just saying that to be nice."

"No, I'm really not."

Scorpius was not sure what made him suddenly need to make Rose see that he had once, years ago, been head-over-heals for her. Maybe it was the firewhisky talking, but he knew he had to make her see how he used to feel. No, fuck it. He was tired of lying to himself, how he did feel for her. He had been denying his growing attraction to Rose for the past few months, but he was over that. He didn't want her because she was beautiful or because she was there or because she was funny or nice or smart or witty. He wanted her because of all of these things and so many more. From the way she always measured the exact amount of coffee grounds needed in the morning to how she crinkled her nose when he had a tuna sandwich for lunch to her mumblings in her sleep that he now had the pleasure of hearing as they shared the same bed whenever they slept in the same apartment. He was over burying his feelings for her like he had done for a decade.

"Yes, you are," Rose said.

Suddenly, Scorpius growled and grabbed Rose's face in his hands.

"Rose Weasley, how in Merlin's name will I get it through your thick skull that I have been in love with you for years?"

The room went silent as Rose stared at Scorpius.

Neither one of them felt drunk anymore.

"You what?" She asked tentatively.

"Love you. Like grown up, real life, love."

Rose's eyes widened as she stared at him in disbelief.

"I love you too," she said, a small smile forming on her lips.

That was all Scorpius needed to hear. He kissed her with all of the passion and love he had felt for her for years. And she kissed him back.

The next morning

Rose stretched awake. It was still dark outside and she looked over at the night stand to see what time it was. 6:27. Much to early to be up.

She rolled over to see if Scorpius was still sleeping. The second she did, she wished she hadn't. Her head ached the moment she moved. And when she saw Scorpius behind her, the blanket nearly down to his waist, she realized he was naked. It only took her a second to realize she was naked too. And it only took a second after that for her to realize that they had slept together the night before. And not the "sleeping together" they had been doing for the past few months where they just shared the same bed. No. This was much more.

As the memories of what had happened the night before came flooding back like a tidal wave, Rose realized that she had professed her love to Scorpius and he had done the same. But that couldn't have happened? Could it? Rose had realized that what she was feeling for Scorpius was more than friendship a while ago, but love? That seemed like too much.

Before she could think about it too long, Scorpius stirred. He stretched, the muscles in his arms tensing before he opened his eyes and smiled at Rose.

"Hey love," He said, putting a stray fire red hair behind her ear. "How did you sleep?"

"Good," Rose practically whispered, afraid that if she spoke too loud she would ruin this moment of serenity. "How are you?"

"Better with you here."

Rose blushed. "So about last night-"

"It was perfect. I know you are probably freaking out in your mind right now because you don't know if what I said about loving you is true or if I said it because I felt bad for you or because we were drunk, but I need you to know, Rose, that I meant it. I truly love you and I hope you love me too. But I will understand if you don't and you only said it because I said it," Scorpius said quickly, not allowing Rose any time to respond. "But, honestly Rose, I love you."

Rose smiled so brightly at that moment that Scorpius thought he might be blinded. She removed herself from the divot in the bed to hover over him and said, "I love you too."

3 hours later

"We should probably get up now," Scorpius whispered into Rose's ear.

"I think the day can wait an hour or two longer," was Rose's reply as she turned around and winked at Scorpius.

1 hour later

"I need a shower," claimed Rose.

"Want some company?" asked Scorpius

She did and he was more than happy to oblige.

The next day

Rose and Scorpius walked into the Ministry of Magic holding hands.

When Albus saw them, he immediately ran up to his office to owl Emma. Nicole squealed in excitement and Ron mumbled something about a bet he had to pay his brother now and something along the lines of "Couldn't they have waited four more years?" No one really noticed though as most people had assumed they had been dating for months already.

But Rose and Scorpius didn't care what others thought, because to them, their love had been unexpected.